Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
Acorn EnergyACFN +3.26%62 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates ACFN with a GF Score™ of 62/100 and a GF Value™ of $13.80 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,712 Hardware companies, Acorn Energy ranks worse than 58411.16% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Acorn Energy's forward rate of return for was 0.00%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
During the past 13 years, Acorn Energy's highest Forward Rate of Return was 20.00. The lowest was 20.00. And the median was 20.00.
ACFN's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is not ranked *
in the Hardware industry.
Industry Median: 4.42 * Ranked among companies with meaningful Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % only.
Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
Acorn Energy (NAS:ACFN) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation
Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.
Be Aware
In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.
Acorn Energy Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Acorn Energy Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Acorn Energy Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
ACFN vs MIND, LGL, AATC: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Scientific & Technical Instruments subindustry, Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Acorn Energy Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Hardware Industry
For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Acorn Energy Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation
Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return of Mar. 2026 is
Forward Rate of Return
=
Normalized Free Cash Flow
/
Price
+
5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
=
0
/
17
+
0
=
0.00 %
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 0.00% mean?
Acorn Energy (ACFN) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 0.00% as of Mar. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Acorn Energy and its competitors. Over the past decade, Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 20.00 to 20.00. According to the industry distribution chart, Acorn Energy ranks #999999 out of 1712 companies in the Hardware industry.
Is Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Acorn Energy's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00%. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 20.00 to a high of 20.00. Based on the distribution chart, Acorn Energy ranks #999999 out of 1712 companies in the Hardware industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Acorn Energy has a GF Score™ of 62/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Acorn Energy's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to MIND and LGL?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, Acorn Energy ranks #999999 out of 1712 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Acorn Energy in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.42. Historically, Acorn Energy's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 20.00 to 20.00 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Hardware company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Hardware companies is 4.42, based on 1,712 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Acorn Energy and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.42 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Acorn Energy's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Acorn Energy stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Acorn Energy (ACFN) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $13.80, compared to a current price of $19.83 — trading 43.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00%. Acorn Energy's overall GF Score™ is 62/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Acorn Energy (ACFN), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Acorn Energy (ACFN) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Acorn Energy stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $19.83 is trading 43.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $13.80.
GuruFocus considers Acorn Energy to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for ACFN:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 0.00%
GF Value™: $13.80 vs. price of $19.83 (43.7% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the ACFN stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Acorn Energy Inc is a holding company that focuses on technology-driven solutions for energy infrastructure asset management. The company operates through two segments namely, the PG segment and the CP segment. PG segment provides wireless remote monitoring and control systems and services for critical assets as well as Internet of Things applications which account for the majority of the revenue. CP segment is engaged in providing remote monitoring of cathodic protection systems on gas pipelines for gas utilities and pipeline companies.
62GF Score
Get the complete analysis for ACFN
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
ACFN has been successfully added to your 
